Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls each scored double tons of and shared a 363-run partnership as New Zealand thrashed Sri Lanka’s bowling to put up 580 for 4 declared on the second day of the second Test on Saturday.
After dropping the primary Test by two wickets in Christchurch on Monday, the vacationers responded by 26-2 as they got here to the shut of play at Wellington’s Basin Reserve and face an uphill battle to keep away from being swept away within the two-match collection.
Williamson additionally scored his twenty seventh century in Tests within the second innings of that match, however Saturday’s good effort with Nicholls was a really totally different order of dominance.
Make it Double! @HenryNicholls27 Reached 200 for the primary time in Test cricket. Follow Play Live in NZ with @sparknzsport, #NZvSL pic.twitter.com/5PxT8DsX9M
— BlackCaps (@BlackCaps) March 18, 2023
After a rain-interrupted first day, Williamson made an unbeaten 26 to start out together with his nation at 155–2 and barely put a foot unsuitable till he was dismissed for 215 deep within the late afternoon.
The 32-year-old turned the primary New Zealand batsman to attain 8,000 Test runs as he introduced up his sixth double century in a 296-ball innings, hitting 23 fours and a pair of sixes.
Nicholls scored at a barely decrease price on the different finish as he labored his manner out of poor kind together with his latest highest Test rating of 200 not out. It was the primary time that two New Zealand batsmen scored a double century in an innings.
Sri Lanka should not the primary staff to have regretted profitable the toss and selecting to bowl on a transparent greentop to see the Black Caps bat for just a few days.
After Williamson’s departure, Daryl Mitchell scored 17 and Tom Blundell scored 17 not out as New Zealand took the lead earlier than the declaration.
Among the visiting bowlers, pacer Lahiru Kumara (0-164) suffered essentially the most however each Asita Fernando and Kasun Rajitha have been additionally nicely into three figures within the debit column.
Matt Henry wasted little time in exhibiting him how you can bowl on the monitor, luring opener Oshada Fernando to push the ball which Blundell swallowed from behind the wickets.
Doug Bracewell celebrated his return to Test cricket after a spot of almost seven years with the wicket of Kusal Mendis, who was dismissed for a duck after taking an excellent catch at level off Doug Conway.
Captain Dimuth Karunaratne, who was unbeaten on 16, and nightwatchman Prabhat Jayasuriya, unbeaten on 4, will tackle Sri Lanka on Sunday with an enormous 554-run stand.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
